- Mar 2, 2016
Temptations are in__ greater than ever before.
We should never consider ourselves exempt.
Jesus never encouraged that....Peter did not....Paul did not.
In fact, JESUS said “Pray that you will resist temptation”.
Scripture counsels us to “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”
We need to “Wash ourselves with the water of His Word” daily.
Adultery is on the increase among Christians.
The Love of Money and Material Possessions that is in the world is affecting many Christian lives and Claiming some of them. These come from “The Spirit of the World”
The following content is
urgently on my heart after several reports have come to me in the last 24 hours
AND a survey I did on the integrity of preachers a few weeks ago that was disturbing, to say the least.
I am placing a list of things here The Lord just gave me for you to think about.
See what they bring to mind and pray about them.
Don't think you are exempt
The Holy Spirit is sensitive
Importance of Father-time
Work out your Salvation
Look for His Coming
Watch your priorities
Making Safeguards
Pray not to enter temptation
Do not willfully sin
Don't underestimate
The Lord won't mind if I do this
What we take in daily
Company we keep
Learn to nip things in the bud
Set apart to God
What value do you place on holiness?
Spend time with The Lord
Don't play with sin
The one that's irresistible
Making right Choices
Master sin before it masters you
Unforgiveness - Cancel Offenses
Watch for blind spots
His Word will reveal them.
The one we can't resist is
the one we should resist
Why do you call Me Lord
and do not the things I say?
Grow in His Words
they will strengthen you.
Practice accountability
with The Lord.
Take inventory
Preachers leading the way into sin
with remarriages and coveting.
Q. What is the most powerful sin?
A. The one that attracts You.
We need to Practice Care!
There was a song years ago that went like this:
Oh Happy Day, Oh Happy Day
when Jesus washed my sins away.
He taught me how to watch and pray
and live Rejoicing every day.
Oh Happy Day, Oh Happy Day
when Jesus washed my sins away.
There is another song that went like this:
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
when at the Cross, my Savior made me whole.
My sins were washed away
and my night was turned to day.
Heaven came down and glory shone around.
Most churches present a Social Gospel these days.
There's no repentance involved (turning away from sin)
so that person does not experience the JOY of Forgiveness.
If that was you - you missed it altogether!
And some of us have forgotten what this experience was like.
Time is like that but each one of us can experience this
on a regular basis.
Never forget the Cross, that He went there
with Joy in His Spirit - seeing us the other side.
YES, You and Me!
"The Lord be with your spirit"
The apostle Paul says “those who are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God”. In the original Greek, sons actually means “mature sons”. And Jesus said “the Peace makers shall be called the Sons of God” In these last days religious mindsets are very much a part of a Christian's Walk with many. (Rom 8:14 Mt 5:9)
Let me explain the difference. To be a Christian is to have experienced Salvation and an indwelling Christ.....living and walking with JESUS having found a union with Him; you ardently believe who He claimed to be and His Words become real to you; you're looking forward to Heaven and value prayer until you are there.
Religion is a belief in God with certain rules and regulations that get to be part of your mindset. They can be persuasive and invasive, determining your lifestyle and the decisions you make. While many verses from the Bible exist in religion with man made rules, they are usually based on certain interpretations...... and having committed yourself to these, you dare not step outside the square.
It is a square building you attend – since the Roman emperor Constantine changed the times and the seasons (the way Early Christians did things) with a square set of rules and theories found in books (based on the beliefs and disposition of whoever started the particular sect). Now in making the Church a Sate Institution, Constantine invited hierarchy into it and man made laws have become predominant over God's. Jesus gave us two commandments over the ten that is to “love The Lord your God with all your mind and heart and strength and your neighbour as yourself” put simply is “to love Him as much and closely as we do a loved one and to treat others as we wish to be treated showing consideration and respect”.
The trouble with hierarchy is that Christians started to look to man instead of God for their guidance, their values, their beliefs. And that man being fallible started to divide believers into different religions referred to by the Apostle Paul as sects. When the scriptures say “looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith” and concerning the dominating of leadership, “it should not be so among you”.
We were not called to “lord it over each other” - hierarchy over us (called leadership) and Christians one over the other as with opinions and conflicting beliefs. Paul said “that is the way of the Gentiles” - (contention that exists in the world) that we should not “give ourselves to divisions” and such. Why did the apostle say “how is it that some of you say, I follow Paul, I follow Apollos?” when there is “One Faith and One Lord of us all”. Further more we are told that “He is not a God of confusion but a God of PEACE” Paul addressed the behavior of some Christians saying “you did not learn this from me”. Sometimes there can be a tendency to alienate each other with our differences in conversation, and it is the carnal (old) nature that does this. We are called in Christ to live after the New Nature that is peaceable and lends itself to reason, not selfish views.
I put it to you that we need to return to “our sincere love of Christ” and follow Him. Jesus said “if you continue in My Words you will know the Truth and this Truth will set you FREE” never mind man's – they will bind you every time. We are also called to a “sincere love for each other” and can I tell you that “arguments, strife and envy” don't measure up to that – Jesus has much better intentions and expectations for us to Walk with Him. It's a shame that we let Him down this way.....hey? Seems like He died in vain when we demonstrate such behavior traits.
Those ways should be left in the world and not carried over into our walk with Jesus. Let's not “crucify Him over again” with such distasteful and trivial conduct but rather, grow together into Him “who is over all rule and authority and every dominion”. His Ways are better, His Words are LIFE to him who finds them”. They can help you steer a straight coarse; prosper you in heart and soul and for the purpose He intends for us; make you strong in this day and age so you are not shaken and they are “pleasant to the soul” - that's your mind and emotions. They will build you up and not tare you down. And the same to those around you. Your company will be comfortable and inviting to fellow believers and those who don't know Jesus yet.
When it comes to those in the world, we have not given them a better reception sometimes than we give to others with religious persuasions or narrow mindedness. “Broad is the way that leads to destruction” Jesus said. The enemy of mankind is so busy in the world trying to lure people away from Christ lest they find Him, enticing them with all manner of temptations in his mass distraction campaign.
He is also doing his best to influence Christians. He knows that many of us are spoiled to the world (awake to certain bondages etc) so he targets us through religious appeal (things that seem godly) like being too holy to live in the world; churchy mindsets: too heavenly minded to be any earthly good, as the saying goes; communicating only with Christians etc and coming up with all manner of doctrines (teachings) that are meant to keep people away from a walk with Christ and spoil yours.
Some of these teachings have spiritual appeal, because many people are becoming aware that they have a spiritual need too, not just physical, mental and material. And of coarse, the Christian won't fall for it unless it seems “spiritual”. This is another reason why you need to stay really close to the Heart and Words of Christ so religious tricks have no appeal to you. You can stay above them and free of them because they always have some twist – they will distort your Christian Walk and lead to bondage of some kind. We are called to be Free. That is free from bondage; free from sin-nature – a desire to sin (ways that offend God). Free to experience Peace and Joy that comes from His Presence. Man's doctrines will alienate you from the true Presence of God
and it's beauty. They need to be discerned.
To be continued
In Part Two, you will read how we need to be
with those who have not found Jesus yet.
We tend to forget so quickly how we thought
before we received Salvation
and maybe how Christians and Religious people
came across to us. We need to be wise.
- Feb 9, 2016
How Closely do you Know Him?
Confidence is about a person, it's always about a person – not a theory or a technique. So build your confidence around the Person of God. Spend time in His Presence. This is the way we come to know Him. Acquaint yourself with Scriptures that speak of His Goodness, His Grace and Kindness.
Many of us need a clear picture of Him – situations and circumstances may have clouded our Image of Him. Even lots of sermons can do that. Especially if they don't portray Him well. Don't rely on someone's impression of Him but rather press in to know Him and you will be GLAD YOU DID!
“SEEK TO KNOW ME, THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE NEED. SEEK MY DIRECTION AND
FOLLOW ME. FOR THERE I WILL LEAD YOU TO PASTURES GREEN
WHERE THE RIVER OF LIFE DOES FREELY FLOW”
(a song He gave me years ago)
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose trust the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when the heat of the day comes, but its leaves shall be green; and shall not have to be careful in the year of drought, neither shall it cease from yielding fruit”.
What God is telling us here is that if we depend on ourselves or others, we will have a disadvantage. But if we have confidence in God, we will always have an advantage in any circumstance so we can be fruitful and enjoy the blessings of God. This comes with simple faith and trust.
So, what does it mean to have confidence in God? It means that you are not just wishing or hoping God is going to act on your behalf, but that you expect Him to. You can be certain that He is working and the promises in his word.
And you don't need anyone's assistance because He is all-sufficient to meet your needs. Sometimes He may lead you to a person for practical advice or to a place to acquire certain skills whatever but He will be the One guiding you to do so –
He is very good at that.
Scripture says “not to lean on your own understanding” and to trust Him with all your heart, your inner being. It is a matter of not relying on what you think you know and having an attitude of faith that stays with God’s word whatever the situation at hand.
Do not rely on the visible circumstances or what you think you know – that's what this verse is saying. Yes, our God is ABLE......He likes it when we trust Him.
So in order to have confidence in God, you have to decide whose report or whose message you will believe – those temporary circumstances or the Living, abiding Word of God?
If you believe the report from your five senses or on the limited amount of knowledge that you have, what will be the outcome? But if you believe the Good report in His Word, He can bless you beyond your expectations.
What is the result when you listen and respond to God’s Spirit and follow His teaching? It is always better than when you doubt and try to work things out.
You can understand what God’s will is through his Spirit. You understand the promises you have as a child of God and see them manifest in your life by meeting
His conditions:
Receive the Testimony in Scripture and respond to it.
Rest in the Promises of God – the Good Report.
Don't let circumstances make you question God.
Let His Word and His Spirit be your counselors.
Be not led by your senses, but let your faith free.
So when you respond well and stay in agreement with God’s will and his word, you cannot fail. Thus, you can have confidence all the time and in all circumstances. “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to His power that works in us,” Ephesians 3:20. All this is by faith and trust – directing them towards God. Simple really – a child could grasp it. It's only our reasoning that gets in the way – that's for communicating with life and people around us. We communicate with Him on a different level and it has to do with LOVE “heart to heart”.
Your confidence with Faith in God has to do with your confidence in the Love of God. For this we need to spend time in His Presence daily, soaking it in. Also, remember to prayer-read the Scriptures – this will make your spirit stronger than your doubts. Jesus said Abide in My Words, then Ask. Not the other way round because then we would
be lazy – unmotivated, so to speak.
And it's a matter of acquaintance, it really is. Who does not want to hear the words of someone they love? The emphasis has been wrong through the years “get what you can from God”.....and.....”how do I get it?” He is not a Santa or a Store Assistant, it goes deeper than that. I would be offended if my family just asked me for things, would you? Surely we could spend some time with Him in each 24 hour day. “There is JOY in
His Presence” who said it has to be a religious exercise? How long since you had a conversation with Him or listened for “His still small Voice?” it's nice to have some Quiet-Time with Him, it really is a pleasure!